Skip to main content


How to link Signal to my desktop without a cellphone?


To my understanding, Signal requires that you have a physical phone to use the desktop version. Is there any way to scan the QR code without a physical device? I'm trying to make an anonymous Signal account.

My idea:

1.) Set up Android VM on Linux laptop

2.) Use laptop camera to scan the QR code on my desktop

This entry was edited (2 days ago)
in reply to Zeon

Virtualbox would allow you to forward the webcam device to the webcam so you can use it as a regular camera on your virtual android. You then just need to figure out how to scan the qr code. If you search deeply enough, you will find ways to. Make android use an image or video as the camera source.
in reply to dragnucs

Also OBS studio with the virtual camera extension lets you use its output as a camera input in other programs so you can pass literally anything to the camera.
in reply to Zeon

signal-cli software can do this without physical phone.
github.com/AsamK/signal-cli/wi…
in reply to Zeon

You can't make an anonymous Signal account, it is one of the biggest red flags that Signal has. You need a phone number.
in reply to herseycokguzelolacak

this stopped me from joining and it makes me wonder why it's so heavily endorsed in privacy circles.
in reply to eldavi

I think Signal is still better that Whatsapp. But it is not the magic app that Signalbroa hype.
in reply to herseycokguzelolacak

haven't tried either because of my paranoia (lol) and never heard of signalroa, thanks for making me aware.
in reply to sakuraba

a typo; i cruise lemmy left the left hand and work with the right hand. lol
in reply to eldavi

I use it but just barely because it is better than things like discord for mildly sensitive stuff
in reply to eldavi

Because privacy is a spectrum, and it makes a good stepping off point for the people that still use text messages and social media chat clients to stay in touch. I can't convince half of my nerd friends to leave Discord for literally anything less shit, but I can convince even my tech-averse mother to use Signal instead of FaceTime.